‘Sons of Anarchy’ Season 4 Preview: Ego, Greed & Violence

Published 4 years ago
by
Kevin Yeoman
, Updated August 7th, 2013 at 8:42 am,

(If you have yet to see season 3 of ‘Sons of Anarchy’, this article contains spoilers. Read on at your own risk.)

Kurt Sutter revealed recently that he was in the midst of editing the first episode of Sons of Anarchy season 4, which means we can expect FX to announce a premiere date any day now. In addition to casting Danny Trejo in a supporting role and bringing a new sheriff to Charming, what other surprises does the series’ creator have up his sleeve for the boys of SAMCRO?

Strange as it may sound, season 4 will be both a return to normal, and a new beginning for the band of bikers that once ruled Charming. After the events of season 3, which saw many of the club incarcerated, the series will make a leap in time (around 14 months).

The jump may seem risky – offering loyal viewers little explanation as to what happened while Jax (Charlie Hunnam), Clay (Ron Perlman) and the others were guests of the state, and how the world around them has changed. Instead (for viewers new and old alike), it will serve as a chance to get acclimated – just like the Sons.

According to Sutter, that was exactly his plan all along. The benefit to the jail time is two-fold: 1) it legitimizes the characters of Sons of Anarchy. As Sutter puts it: “Most of the bikers I’ve met in the outlaw life have done prison time.” And 2) the passage of time allows Sutter and his team of writers a chance to “reboot the narrative and prevent the mythology from folding into itself too soon.”

In terms of the immediate impact on season 4’s storyline, Sutter has said he feels the events of this upcoming season will be driven by the characters – instead of the other way around, like in season 3. “This season, I’m trying to approach the room with a looser grip on story.”

Like the newly released Sons of Anarchy poster (see below), there is a strong sense of history and character in season 4 – that the series is back to being about the club and its members. To hear it from Sutter, the new season is already off to a great start.

“So far, the new season feels very potent. We’re back in Charming, we’re out of jail and we’re making money. With that upswing, comes all the complications that success and power bring. Season four is all about the club. The personalities, the history, the alliances, the conflicts — the inside dynamics of an organized outlaw enterprise. Ego, greed, violence and fear reign supreme.”

Take a look at the poster below:

As teased, season 4 will have two significant additions to the cast: guest star Danny Trejo and Rockmond Dunbar (Prison Break, The Chicago Code) and each will offer up characters on either side of the law. Fan-favorite Trejo joins the M.C. as former Mexican commando Romero ‘Romeo’ Parada. While it’s unclear how long Trejo’s arc will be, having him on the show will undoubtedly bring in some new viewers and attention.

Meanwhile, there’s a new sheriff in town (yeah, it had to be said) in Dunbar, who plays the newly elected Eli Roosevelt. Not only does Roosevelt present a threat to the club in terms of the law, but he also represents the changing attitude of Charming as a whole.

Described as a formidable, confident and forthright lawman, Roosevelt is the antithesis of Chief Wayne Unser (Dayton Callie). While Unser was, for all intents and purposes, owned by SAMCRO, Roosevelt is made of sterner stuff – going so far as to prohibit the club’s colors be worn in public. Needless to say, that is not going to sit well with the Sons.

Roosevelt will serve to usher in a new world, according to Sutter:

“…Charming really has been Mayberry—it’s been an anachronism, and in my mind, we’ll start to see that shift, and how do they handle that shift. Do they try to throw the brakes on it? Do they embrace it? What happens to the big fish when the pond starts to get bigger?”

It’s nice to see a television series takes the kind of leap that Sons of Anarchy will with its fourth season. Watching how this ‘reboot’ plays out should at least make for some interesting television.

43 Comments

Post a Comment

Want to change your avatar?Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Rules: No profanity or personal attacks. Use a valid email address or risk being banned from commenting.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

If your comment doesn't show up immediately, it may have been flagged for moderation. Please try refreshing the page first, then drop us a note and we'll retrieve it. Keep in mind that we do not allow external links in the comments.

RandomHero89 3 years ago

I want to see Jim Beaver have a couple off guest spots in the future he would be an awesome addition to the show.

I’ll follow the show no matter what they do, love it, but I feel they need a character that’s as dangerous as he is mysterious, something like a hitman, that can almost single handedly take down samcro.
No one really has giving Jax a run for his money either, cept clay.

Ahhhh!!! I want Jax’s hair back too!! Grr!! I don’t get the whole “he just got out of prison, so he won’t have long hair” comment – that doesn’t make any sense, but okay. I still want his hair back! lol

i been following this show since the first season…im still loving it…i just want to really find out if clay killed jax father or what…and if jax is going to be a permanently changed man…no more trinna change the club and make it legit or follow his fathers dream for the club…i like when jax and clay are on the same page…this get alot more exciting that way

hair no hair no matter the show closely represents life in the cut better than any other show i have seen the inclusion of sonny barger rver so brief as it were was great undoubtedly the best series on television keep the ball roling

When I heard David Hasselhoff was going to be on SOA I couldn’t believe it. David Hasselhoff..REALLY?!! I have seen every show in the series & can’t believe Kurt would even consider him for a part. I guess he’s willing to miss out on another emmy. Kim Coates is my favorite, I just love him~he rocks my world. Danny Trejo is an excellant choice for the series and many of us hope he will be on throughout the show. Each and every cast member plays such a significant part of SOA and are the reason the series is such a success. All my freinds love SOA and we are looking forward to September for Season 4 (all except David Hasselhoff)

i am sooo excited for season for….but can we hurry it up with the season 3 my boyfriend hasnt seen it yet and wont let me watch season 4 til he can watch it with me! i can only sneak watching soa for so long!!! lol

on tonights episode of the sons of anachy things are heating up for the member s.o.a especialy when
the new sheriff lt in town smash up the club house in frount of the guys of sons of anachy was a bad
move for him hes skating on thin ice but jax and clay will have to keep an eye the new black sheriff
for now hes just puppet for the mayor and the head of the anti gang unit will be found out by jax
but he wont tell clay as yet

the real bad guy in charming is the mayor of chraming hes destorying the town he swore to protect
as mayor if the towns people knew that hes bring in more crime they will run him out of town with
the members of sons of anachy as opie as the new leader of the club with jax those two will keep
the club clean

so season four looks like there willbe some changes for charming clay will steep down and opie
will take over its a wait and see i wish the cast of sons of anachy the best season this year
will there be a season 5?

Australian tv is way behind with SOA. Purchase the series from usa, it will be quicker and it is totally worth the cost, that way you can be up to date!
Series 2 is being relased in Australia on 2nd Nov but all of the first 3 series are avaliable is usa.

Wow, I am not a tv watcher and I was up late one night and caught a rerun of season 2 way back. I have been hooked since I got my wife hooked too. she loves Jax…..loving season4 its intense I cant believe juice!!!!!!! things are gonna get crazy!!!!!